The Gathering

by Fiore, L. A.

  Terror squeezed my chest, my breathing labored. I jerked awake, but it took a minute for the nightmare to subside. Glancing at the clock, it was just after three in the morning. I wasn’t getting back to sleep. Climbing from bed, I grabbed my robe before padding into the kitchen. I had intended to get something to drink, but I walked out the back door instead. The cool night air felt nice; the soft grass under my bare feet was slightly wet. A shiver moved up my spine as I followed that which summoned me. Stepping into a clearing, the moon lit a figure. It wasn’t fear I felt, but longing and love. It was huge, standing upright. Pitch black, long sharp teeth, hands that ended in claws and familiar gray eyes.

  Bain.

  He moved, crossing the distance between us, and shifted until a very real and naked man stood in front of me. My eyes moved down his body, devouring the sight of his bare chest, the ridges of muscles that made up his abs and lower. I bit my lip as the blush crept up my neck. Moisture pooled between my legs, but I couldn’t look away.

  He brushed my hair from my shoulder, his fingers curling around the edge of my robe. Little fires were ignited under my skin as he dragged the silk down my arms until it puddled at my feet. His touch felt familiar, his body was familiar. Lifting my mouth to his, his taste was familiar. He licked my lower lip, before slipping his tongue inside, sweeping my mouth with a thoroughness that I’d missed. A trail of heat was left in his wake when his hands moved up my body, fisting my nightgown and pulling it over my head. His dark head lowered, his tongue running along my collarbone and down the valley between my breasts. I couldn’t stop the moan when he tongued my nipple before pulling it into his mouth. My legs went weak at the onslaught of emotions that were both new and beloved.

  He dropped to his knees and spread my legs wider before he buried his face between them. I fisted his hair, closed my eyes, and lost myself in the pleasure he so easily brought out in me. I came on a cry. He kept feasting, drawing out the orgasm, before he moved up my body, lifted my leg, and thrust into me painfully. He withdrew completely before he surged forward again. It hurt, and yet, I shifted my hips into his thrusts, needing to feel him, all of him, even the pain that brought tears to my eyes. Hunger looked back at me when our gazes locked. His hips kept moving, building up the pleasure and the pain until another orgasm crashed over me.

  I turned and muffled the moan in my pillow. My body burned from the orgasm brought on by the dream. I wanted to slip into his room, wanted in real life what I had found in my dream. I didn’t though, as much as I wanted that, I didn’t. Instead, I climbed from bed and headed to the shower, a cold one.

  I sat in Sweet Tooth eating my second apple strudel, my attention on the other patrons. The oddest pairings were displayed around the dining space. What looked like a homeless man was sitting with a Wall Street type, both of them digging into a butter cake that looked sinful. A stay-at-home mom, with her little kids in tow, sat at a table with a biker. Their danishes looked delicious. It was like their love of Cinder Gulliver’s creations bridged the unseen social barriers that existed in the world. If only it could be so easy everywhere.

  Speaking of the devil. “Can I get you anything else?” Cinder asked.

  I’d put on at least five pounds and much of that was thanks to her baking. “No, I’m good. The apple strudel was amazing.”

  The door opened, and the two men who had been fighting the last time I’d been here entered. One of them dropped his hand on the other’s shoulder like they were best buddies, smiles on both of their faces. Glancing around the room at the deliciously elated customers, every one of them happily consumed with their sweets, I knew there was more going on here.

  “Is there something wrong?” A smile teased her mouth, merriment in her eyes.

  “Who are you?”

  “May I join you?”

  I gestured to the chair. “Please.”

  “I wondered if you’d figure it out.” She then laughed, her large belly shaking from her mirth. “Look at me, I am one donut away from a heart attack, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying my creations.” She looked around her bakery. “Have you ever seen people more in tune with their food? It’s almost a mini love affair Joanie is having over there with her sticky bun. And Brock’s obsession with my éclairs.”

  I gestured to the men who had just entered. “Those two men were prepared to rip each other’s faces off the other day and now they’re best buddies.”

  Cinder’s lips curved up into a wicked grin. “There’s a reason my baked goods are so sinful.”

  I was hesitant to ask, even as my lips formed the question. “Why?”

  “Because I’m Gluttony.”

  I was sure I hadn’t heard her correctly. I asked for clarification. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “I am one of the seven deadly sins. I’m Gluttony.”

  I leaned back in my chair and couldn’t help the grin. I hadn’t expected that, but it didn’t surprise me. “That actually makes sense, though I didn’t know the sins were corporeal.”

  “Magic makes it so,” she replied.

  “But you aren’t evil.” I wasn’t asking. I could feel the goodness in her.

  “Just because we’re sin doesn’t make us evil. Everyone needs a little sin in their lives to spice things up.” She studied me a minute before she asked, “Have you figured out what you are?”

  My brows rose. “Do you know?”

  “Human, but you’ve too much magic in you to be just human.”

  “I’m working on remembering.”

  Her normally jubilant expression turned worried. “Darkness is coming. It’s growing stronger every day.”

  “I know.”

  “If you need my siblings or me, we’re here.”

  I looked around her bakery at the unlikely friendships. Sin might just help us tip the scales. “I’m going to take you up on that.”

  We shared a moment before she smiled and stood. “I’ll get some éclairs for you to take back to Brock.”

  21

  Ivy

  Bain insisted on driving me to my first day of work. It seemed silly for me to get a job when the world was falling apart, but life needed to go on, even the mundane and routine parts of it because that was what we were fighting for.

  I hadn’t yet bought clothes. Aine had enough non-leather options that I was okay, but as soon as I got my first paycheck, I needed to go shopping.

  I loved riding on Bain’s bike. Something so simple that brought so much joy. With my arms wrapped around his waist, I tilted my head back enjoying the breeze on my face. I still had trouble believing sometimes that this was real, being driven to work by a man that made my toes curl and my heart race whenever he was around. I even had butterflies thinking about the job. I was scared, nervous, and excited all at once. How normal, just a simple day in a life. It was wonderful.

  I was surprised to see Josiah when we entered Hunter’s Moon. Something feeling a lot like affection moved through me. That he was here, that he cared enough to see me on my first day.

  “There she is,” he said, moving from Dahlia to greet us.

  “You’re here.” I felt my face warm.

  His expression softened. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss your first day.”

  Emotion tightened my chest.

  Dahlia wasn’t shy, stepping right into Bain and hugging him. I could tell he felt uncomfortable, but he didn’t pull away. Her smile was some serious wattage. She gestured to the woman standing behind the counter with bright red hair and eyes as green as the summer grass. “This is Lilith, my partner-in-crime.”

  Lilith didn’t move from behind the counter, only gifting us with her attention long enough to say, “Hello.”

  “She’s an acquired taste,” Josiah muttered under his breath.

  “I heard that,” Lilith said.

  “Good. I’ve said it enough to your face.”

  “Are you ready?” Dahlia asked.

  “I am.”

  “I’ll go over the register with you, but
how about for this week, you just get comfortable with the merchandise and the customers.”

  I wanted to be normal. I wanted to be the girl starting her first day of work, one that would spend the night talking about it with her friends while they celebrated, but I wasn’t normal. Something threatened normal, and I was what stood in the way. It was a heavy burden, but for now, I allowed myself to enjoy one of the simplicities in life that many took for granted. “Sounds good. Thank you again for this.”

  “Any friend of Josiah’s is a friend of mine.” So easily offered and so sincerely meant.

  I forgot to be nervous because I had so much fun watching the customers. From the man who brought in his girlfriend to buy her a piece of jewelry for their anniversary, to the old woman who came looking for a sweet sixteen gift for her great granddaughter. They would leave here and go home to their little private space in the world, but for today, their paths crossed at Hunter’s Moon, a brief connection that was over almost as soon as it started. Did they appreciate that? All the lives that connected with theirs despite those connections being just flashes in time?

  A woman entered with her daughter. They caught my attention immediately because of how much alike they were. The young girl wasn’t much older than ten, but she shared her mother’s eyes and dark hair, even the way they walked was the same. As soon as she entered, she turned in a circle, her eyes wide with wonder. Their heads were together as they browsed, pointing at pieces and chatting. Her little hands were pressed on the glass of one case, and her mom touched her arm and whispered something; she took her hands from the glass.

  “I do that too,” I said to the little girl. “Would you like to see that necklace?” It was a silver unicorn with an amethyst horn.

  She looked up at her mom, hope in her expression. “Please, Mommy.”

  Her mom didn’t put up much of a fight. “Okay.”

  I pulled out the black velvet and draped the necklace over it. The showroom’s lights made the silver sparkle. It looked a bit magical.

  “Oh, Mommy. It’s so pretty.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “My birthday is coming up.”

  “In eight months.” Her mom brushed her daughter’s hair from her shoulders. There was so much affection in the gesture that it hit me right in the chest.

  “Are you visiting?” I asked.

  “No, we’re locals. We’ve walked past this shop countless times but never came in.”

  “I’m glad you did. I’m Ivy.”

  “Grace, and this is my daughter, Hope.”

  Grace touched the necklace.

  “You look just alike,” I said.

  “We get that a lot.”

  I was overcome. How I would have liked to have a mommy and me day. To share something simple like a day of shopping with my mom. I smiled watching them. Or to have a daughter that looked like me, walked like me, and looked up at me with puppy dog eyes because she wanted a unicorn necklace. I swallowed the lump of emotion the thought evoked. I wanted to be normal, but I wasn’t. Not even close.

  “She’ll remember this day, not as a special occasion or a celebration, but just spending the day with her mom. The simple moments are sometimes the ones we cherish the most.” My ride in with Bain this morning was one for me.

  “You are a very good saleswoman,” Grace said then smiled. “We’ll take it.”

  Hope jumped up and down.

  “Would you like to wear it out of the shop?” I asked.

  “Oh, yes please.”

  I rang them up; Grace put the necklace on Hope. Her hand wrapped around it. They both waved before they walked out.

  I hadn’t realized Dahlia had joined me until she said, “You’re a people person, that’s for sure.”

  A people person, yeah, I supposed I was.

  “I have some stock to unload. Would you like to help me out?” she asked.

  “Please.”

  She unboxed the two shipments. They were from a new designer who favored lots of chunky gemstones and silver. Unusual combinations that worked like rough agate paired with peridot; polished lapis and white topaz: and pink tourmaline and onyx chunks. They were beautiful. “I like her work.”

  “I do too.”

  I reached for another box that revealed the most beautiful ring I’d ever seen. A white stone that I knew to be a moonstone, and the way the silver was worked, it looked like clouds drifting over the stone. It was stunning, and oddly, it triggered déjà vu.

  “What a ring.”

  Dahlia glanced over, and I felt her trepidation before she said, “That’s a special order piece.”

  I was disappointed because it was absolutely perfect. I even had a little trouble handing it to her, hating to part with it. “That is magnificent.”

  “Yes, it is. The customer was very specific. Already had the stone, just needed the setting.”

  “Whoever is getting that is one lucky person.”

  The bell over the door rang. Dahlia looked up then smiled. “You’re up.”

  “You were amazing. A natural. Would you like to get a drink?” Dahlia asked just as Lilith appeared. I hadn’t meant to shift my eyes to Lilith, but I wasn’t a fan. She wasn’t friendly. She was downright rude. She made me uncomfortable so the thought of getting a drink with her wasn’t a welcoming one. Dahlia added. “Just us.”

  I didn’t hide my relief. She smiled. “She can be trying.”

  “I need to call Bain. He was picking me up.”

  She handed me her cell. I really needed to get one. Lucky for me, I remembered the number Bain had recited four times that morning. I only remembered it because it was his.

  “I was just leaving,” he said in way of greeting.

  “I’m going for a drink with Dahlia.”

  “Tell him we’re going to Silver Bullet on the square. Maybe an hour.”

  “Did you get that?” I asked.

  “Yeah. I’ll see you in an hour. Have fun.”

  “Thanks.”

  I handed the phone back to her as we headed for the door. “You good with closing up, Lilith?” Dahlia asked.

  She didn’t answer, just waved us away.

  Silver Bullet was eclectic with old guns all over the walls. It only dawned on me when we sat down at the bar that silver bullets were rumored to be what killed werewolves. I almost asked if we could leave, the accompanying shiver fueling that desire, but Dahlia was already ordering our drinks.

  “So, Josiah didn’t say much about your past. Have you always lived in New Orleans?”

  Longer than she would believe. “Yes.”

  She played with the cocktail napkin the bartender placed in front of her. “Can I ask why you didn’t have identification?”

  “Let’s just leave it at I was very sheltered.”

  “It would seem.”

  Two glasses of wine were set down in front of us. She lifted hers. “To your first day.”

  I touched her glass, took a sip. “I really had a great day.”

  “Minus Lilith. She’s a good person. Moody, disagreeable but under the gruff is a good person.”

  “I don’t think she likes me very much.”

  “Lilith doesn’t like very many people. She has her reasons for that, but she tries. She’ll come around. You’ll see.”

  I wasn’t so sure of that, but I didn’t argue.

  “Josiah mentioned his daughter Aria. I hope she does visit. I’d love to meet her.”

  “Aria is a breath of fresh air. Josiah and I weren’t able to have children. It’s been such a joy having her in our lives. I’ve known her since she was just a wee little thing. Loves her daddy to the moon and back and he’s just as smitten.”

  I tried to imagine the man I was coming to know being smitten. I couldn’t see it, but based on what I had heard in the car, I knew he was.

  “I’m so glad you’re on the team, and I’m not rushing you away, you just started, but I’m curious if you’ve thought about what you want to do. Working at Hunter’s Moon is
n’t a long term plan I’m sure.”

  The reminders came out of nowhere, the reality that we were all racing against time. Humans were lucky to not know the clock was counting down, but at the same time it seemed remarkably cruel for it to be sprung on them. “I’m just getting used to being on my own, finding my footing. I need to think about the future, but right now, I’m happy to focus on the present.”

  “In other words, butt out old lady,” she teased.

  “No, not at all. And you’re not an old lady.”

  “Older than you think,” she muttered.

  Odd statement but I moved on. “Do you have family in the area?”

  It was an innocent enough question, but I felt it as well as saw her body stiffen. Her open friendliness dimmed a bit. “A long time ago, not anymore. It’s just Josiah, Aria, and me.”

  I wondered why my innocent question had caused such a reaction in her, but I changed the subject. “There are several pieces in your store I have my eye on.”

  Her eyes brightened, her smile genuine when she said, “Oh yeah, which ones?”

  I was waiting in line for the ladies’ room. Bain would be here soon. Outside of that strange moment, Dahlia had been wonderful company. I could see her and Josiah together. They fit.

  My stomach growled, maybe Bain and I could stop for dinner. We probably should check in and see what the others were doing.

  I finished my business and was heading back to the table when I saw the man, the one in black with the umbrella. Once, even twice, I could excuse as a coincidence, but not three times, especially when those blue eyes were trained on me, like he knew I was here, like he’d been watching me.

  I walked right up to him. “Are you following me?” I asked unceremoniously.

  He studied me, seeking answers before he said, “You aren’t ready.”

  “For what?”

  “I’ll be here when you are.”

  He started to walk away; I stopped him. “Ready for what?”

  Only his head turned, patience, kindness, comfort came from him. “To take you home.”

  He walked away, disappearing into the bodies that crowded the bar. Not lost in them, he vanished. I didn’t move, only stared into the crowd as the heavy weight of understanding settled over me, another dream that came true.